Hello

Vicki J Barrett

Chickasaw is a small town on the Gulf Coast of Alabama. It was built, as a company owned town, to house workers for shipbuilding in World War I, by Tennessee Coal, Iron, and Railroad Company. The shipyard closed at the end of World War I but reopened at the beginning of World War II and thousands of families moved to Chickasaw to be part of the war effort. Gulf Shipbuilding built 74 ships there for the United States Maritime Commission. At the end of World War II, the town was purchased by an investment company and homes were offered for purchase. Many families bought homes and stayed. Chickasaw was a very close-knit community. Children had a safe place to grow up and everyone looked out for one another. My parents were some of the many who were part of the war effort and stayed to raise their families. Ronnie Hyer's family moved to Chickasaw when he was young. He and my brother became friends and were always off on adventures together. This book is a compilation of true stories about growing up in Chickasaw and the Mobile Delta as remembered by Ronnie. As the reader will see, he was a great storyteller with a marvelous sense of humor. 

In a complicated world, I hope this book reminds us of a simpler time. 

Vicki J. Barrett